More Study Due Plan for Tunnel Through Forest

Regional planners said Thursday that they will continue to study building a tunnel under the Cleveland National Forest but stressed that it is just one of several ideas being considered to ease traffic flow between Orange and Riverside counties.

At a meeting Thursday, officials from the Southern California Assn. of Governments said the tunnel idea remains a viable option, along with other plans such as double-decking the Riverside Freeway, improving commuter rail service and adding bus lanes to some roads.

“There is a lot more analysis that must be done,” said Los Alamitos Councilman Ron Bates, a SCAG board member who worked with association staff members on the plans. “Everything is still on the table.”

Orange County officials have long opposed the tunnel idea, and it is unlikely that such a project would be built unless that changes.

“My sense is that they are looking at practical alternatives to this expensive project,” said Jim Hodge, director of external affairs for the Orange County Transportation Authority, which opposes the tunnel plan.

Traffic between the growing bedroom communities of Riverside County and job-rich Orange County is expected to triple over the next 20 years--causing severe tie-ups.

Building a tunnel through the Santa Ana Mountains would cost more than $1 billion. But SCAG planners have described it as more cost effective than double-decking freeways or building extensive busways. They say it would go a long way toward relieving the expected congestion.

Bates said that the SCAG staff plans to do a more detailed analysis to determine which project makes the most sense.

SCAG officials also said Thursday that their regional transportation plan will include an Orange County proposal to widen the Garden Grove Freeway to accommodate carpool lanes.

The inclusion marks a crucial step forward for the project, but funding still needs to be secured.

Also Thursday, SCAG presented a study showing that Southern California motorists will face longer commutes and will spend half their drive time stuck in traffic within 20 years.

The grim predictions come as SCAG released details of a regional transportation plan that calls for the construction of new busways, commuter rail lines and freeway toll lanes designed to ease the expected traffic crunch.

The study said that the five Southern California counties will add another 6.7 million residents, bringing the total population to 22 million people by 2020. Most of the new residents are expected to live in western Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as northern Los Angeles and southern Orange counties.

“It’s like having two cities the size of Chicago coming here within the next 26 years,” said James Gosnell, director of planning for SCAG. “Without making adjustments, we will see significant increases in the amount of time it takes to travel.”

Employment is expected to grow 61% by 2020. But many of the new jobs will be located a distance away from fast-growing residential communities, forcing workers into longer commutes, according to the regional transportation planners.

The full regional transportation plan is scheduled to be released on Nov. 9. Several public workshops, hearings and other educational events will occur through March. SCAG’s regional council is scheduled to vote on the plan on April 2.